NATO copter shot down; dozens of U.S. troops killed 6AUG11

PRES OBAMA, Sec of Defense Leon Panetta and Congress killed these soldiers just as sure as the taliban did because they are responsible for keeping these soldiers in Afghanistan, sacrificing them for nothing good, but for the continued enrichment of the corrupt Afghan govt and the U.S. military-industrial complex. From the WashPost.....
By Kevin Sieff and Sayed Salahuddin

KABUL — A NATO helicopter was shot down during an overnight operation against the Taliban in eastern Afghanistan, a U.S. official said. The crash killed 31 U.S. service members and eight Afghan troops, according to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, making it the deadliest incident for the coalition in the nearly 10-year-old war.
The U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said the aircraft was most likely brought down by a rocket-propelled grenade and that many of the dead were Navy SEALs. The Taliban asserted responsibility for the crash, which occurred in Wardak province, just west of the capital, Kabul.
American and Afghan officials said that the Chinook aircraft had been operating in an area of heavy insurgent activity.
Saturday’s crash comes during a surge of violence across large swaths of Afghanistan, particularly in the east, which has become a flash point in the conflict as American troops prepare for a phased withdrawal from the country. The incident threatened to shake confidence in NATO’s air power — a key asset in the war and a important element of combat support offered to Afghans, who lack an air force of their own.
Residents of Sayedabad district in Wardak who were awake for an early morning Ramadan prayer reported hearing a rocket-propelled grenade being fired and then a loud explosion. Flames lit the night sky, they said.
“Then American forces began searching houses and blocked the roads of the village,” said Sana Gal, 35, a resident of Tangi, a village a few hundred yards from the crash site.
A Taliban spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said an insurgent shot down the helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade after the conclusion of a firefight in which eight Taliban fighters were killed.
Deadly helicopter crashes have not been especially common in Afghanistan, but despite their infrequency, they constitute some of the bloodiest incidents in the war’s history. Before Saturday’s crash, 96 coalition troops had been killed in eight separate crashes since 2005 — products of both mechanical problems and insurgent attacks.
Chinook helicopters are vulnerable to attack from rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns when taking off and landing, particularly in mountainous terrain, because they are big targets that fly low to the ground. In the most dangerous areas, the U.S. military will typically fly Chinooks only at night and only when there is little or no illumination from the moon. This has long been true in restive and mountainous areas throughout eastern Afghanistan and has at times made it challenging to resupply units.
The Chinooks have not been the only U.S. helicopters involved in fatal crashes in Afghanistan. In one of the deadliest incidents in recent years, a Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Zabul province last September, killing nine American service members.
The deadliest helicopter crash involving U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan occurred in June 2005, when insurgents shot down a Chinook in Konar province, near the Korengal Valley. Sixteen U.S. 16 troops, most of them Army Rangers, died. The Rangers were flying into the valley to rescue a small team of Navy SEALs that had come under fire.
That incident led U.S. forces to set up outposts in the Korengal, a remote valley that was a hotbed of insurgent activity. From 2006 to 2010 the valley was one of the most violent spots in Afghanistan for U.S. troops; more than 50 Americans were killed there. In the spring of 2010, Americans pulled out of the valley.
The remote Tangi Valley, which sits near the border between Wardak and Logar provinces, has long been a problem area for U.S. troops and the Afghan government. U.S. forces had for years kept a small presence in those provinces, but in 2009 surged troops into the area.
The insurgency in Wardak and Logar is generally thought to be affiliated with the Haqqani network.
U.S. forces had wanted to make Paktika and Khost provinces their main focus in the east this fighting season. But the increased violence in Wardak and Logar, and their proximity to Kabul, forced the Americans to change plans. Since then, Wardak and Logar have been the main focus of U.S. forces in the east.
Local Afghan officials were quick to point out Saturday that insurgent activity in the volatile Tangi Valley, where the latest helicopter crash occurred, has spiked in recent months, since some NATO troops withdrew from a remote base in the area.
“The Americans left because they were getting casualties with each operation . . . and since then, the insurgents have increased their activity,” said Shahidullah Shahid, a spokesman for the Wardak governor.
All foreign combat forces are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, and some withdrawals have already begun, coinciding with the launch of a security transition in seven largely peaceful cities and provinces. But while Afghan forces have assumed formal control of those areas, some of the country’s more volatile regions have shown little sign of progress, leaving many Afghans and Americans wary of the prospects for the war’s endgame.
The crash Saturday brings the total number of foreign troops killed in Afghanistan in 2011 to 374, according to the icasualties.org Web site. Two-thirds of them have been American, including 28 Special Forces soldiers.
In a statement, President Obama expressed his condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed, saying their deaths were a “reminder of the extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our military and their families, including all who have served in Afghanistan.”
“We will draw inspiration from their lives, and continue the work of securing our country and standing up for the values that they embodied,” he said. “We also mourn the Afghans who died alongside our troops in pursuit of a more peaceful and hopeful future for their country.”
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta also issued a statement, saying he was “deeply saddened by the loss of many outstanding Americans in uniform and of their Afghan counterparts.” Their courage, he said, was exemplary.
Karzai’s office said in a statement, “The president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has expressed his condolences to the U.S. President Barack Obama and to the families of the victims.”

Salahuddin is a special correspondent. Staff writers Greg Jaffe and Jason Ukman and staff researcher Julie Tate in Washington and special correspondent Javed Hamdard in Kabul contributed to this report.

Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline. 6AUG11

ANOTHER way to participate in the campaign against the xl keystone pipeline, this from Credo Action. Even if you have participated in other petitions please sign this one, the more pressure put on Pres Obama the greater the chance we have to win...and you can also sign up to take part in the daily protest outside the White House starting 20 AUG 11.

Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Pres. Obama alone has the power to stop this massive blow to our climate. Clicking here will automatically add your name to this petition to President Obama: "The tar sands represent a catastrophic threat to our communities, our climate, and our planet. President Obama, you have the final word. You do not have to negotiate with Congress or industry. We urge you to demonstrate real climate leadership by rejecting the requested permit for the Keystone XL pipeline." Automatically add your name: Learn more about this campaign "Essentially game over" for the climate. That's what climate scientist James Hanson calls the proposed Keystone XL pipeline — which would carry oil out of Canada's vast tar sands oil fields to Texas, where it will be refined, then burned across the globe, dealing a catastrophic blow to our chance of returning earth to a stable climate. This project requires a presidential permit to start building — and it is President Obama's decision alone to grant or deny that permit. He will make the decision as soon as September. Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline.Click here to automatically sign the petition. The Alberta tar sands are a carbon bomb. The 3rd largest oil field in the world, the difficult extraction and transportation of the tar sands oil ultimately produces up to three times the carbon emissions of traditional oil. (And extreme environmental devastation along the way.)1 The Keystone XL pipeline is the fuse to this bomb — a highway to swift consumption of this dirty, dangerous crude. As if that wasn't enough, it poses a massive spill risk in the six states along the pipeline route, including over the Ogallala Aquifer which provides up to 30% of our nation's agricultural water. We. Must. Stop. This. Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline.Click here to automatically sign the petition. Twenty leading climate scientists have just sent a letter to President Obama urging him to deny the permit. And from August 20th to September 3rd, there will be a massive, historic, daily sit-in outside the White House where more than 1500 people, including CREDO staff, have already signed up to risk arrest in peaceful protest. (For more about the sit-in, see below.) The administration's previous decisions on climate do not inspire confidence that they will deny the permit. Just this week, the administration approved offshore oil drilling in the Arctic. They have opened vast new areas to coal mining, and late last year, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton even said that she was "inclined" to approve Keystone XL. But President Obama still has the final word. He does not have to negotiate with Congress or industry. As his State Department reviews the permit, the decision — which could have a devastating impact on the livability of our nation, and our world — is entirely in his hands. We've lost too many climate fights already. We need a massive, historic show of pressure to make sure we don't lose this one. Please sign the petition and read below for other ways to get involved. Tell President Obama: Stop the Keystone XL pipeline.Click here to automatically sign the petition. Thank you for fighting for an oil-free future. Elijah Zarlin, Campaign Manager CREDO Action from Working Assets 1. "Keystone XL Pipeline," Friends of the Earth Because this fight is so important, leading climate activists including Bill McKibben, Naomi Klein and climate scientist James Hansen are organizing a historic, daily series of peaceful protests between August 20th and Sept. 3rd. The CEOs and Directors of nearly 30 leading Environmental Organizations, including CREDO's Michael Kieschnick and Laura Scher, are urging people to participate. More than 1500 people from across the country, including CREDO staff, have already signed up to join the sit-in outside the White House and risk arrest. Please read the invitation letter below for more information. If you would like to sign up to join the protest, and possibly be arrested, click here to sign up. Dear Friends, This will be a slightly longer letter than common for the internet age — it's serious stuff. The short version is we want you to consider doing something hard: coming to Washington in the hottest and stickiest weeks of the summer and engaging in civil disobedience that will quite possibly get you arrested. The full version goes like this: As you know, the planet is steadily warming: 2010 was the warmest year on record, and we've seen the resulting chaos in almost every corner of the earth. And as you also know, our democracy is increasingly controlled by special interests interested only in their short-term profit. These two trends collide this summer in Washington, where the State Department and the White House have to decide whether to grant a certificate of 'national interest' to some of the biggest fossil fuel players on earth. These corporations want to build the so-called 'Keystone XL Pipeline' from Canada's tar sands to Texas refineries. To call this project a horror is serious understatement. The tar sands have wrecked huge parts of Alberta, disrupting ways of life in indigenous communities — First Nations communities in Canada, and tribes along the pipeline route in the U.S. have demanded the destruction cease. The pipeline crosses crucial areas like the Ogallala Aquifer where a spill would be disastrous — and though the pipeline companies insist they are using 'state of the art' technologies that should leak only once every 7 years, the precursor pipeline and its pumping stations have leaked a dozen times in the past year. These local impacts alone would be cause enough to block such a plan. But the Keystone Pipeline would also be a fifteen hundred mile fuse to the biggest carbon bomb on the continent, a way to make it easier and faster to trigger the final overheating of our planet, the one place to which we are all indigenous. As the climatologist Jim Hansen (one of the signatories to this letter) explained, if we have any chance of getting back to a stable climate "the principal requirement is that coal emissions must be phased out by 2030 and unconventional fossil fuels, such as tar sands, must be left in the ground." In other words, he added, "if the tar sands are thrown into the mix it is essentially game over." The Keystone pipeline is an essential part of the game. "Unless we get increased market access, like with Keystone XL, we're going to be stuck," said Ralph Glass, an economist and vice-president at AJM Petroleum Consultants in Calgary, told a Canadian newspaper last week. Given all that, you'd suspect that there's no way the Obama administration would ever permit this pipeline. But in the last few months the administration has signed pieces of paper opening much of Alaska to oil drilling, and permitting coal-mining on federal land in Wyoming that will produce as much CO2 as 300 powerplants operating at full bore. And Secretary of State Clinton has already said she's 'inclined' to recommend the pipeline go forward. Partly it's because of the political commotion over high gas prices, though more tar sands oil would do nothing to change that picture. But it's also because of intense pressure from industry. The US Chamber of Commerce — a bigger funder of political campaigns than the RNC and DNC combined — has demanded that the administration "move quickly to approve the Keystone XL pipeline," which is not so surprising — they've also told the U.S. EPA that if the planet warms that will be okay because humans can 'adapt their physiology' to cope. The Koch Brothers, needless to say, are also backing the plan, and may reap huge profits from it. So we're pretty sure that without serious pressure the Keystone Pipeline will get its permit from Washington. A wonderful coalition of environmental groups has built a strong campaign across the continent — from Cree and Dene indigenous leaders to Nebraska farmers, they've spoken out strongly against the destruction of their land. We need to join them, and to say even if our own homes won't be crossed by this pipeline, our joint home — the earth — will be wrecked by the carbon that pours down it. And we need to say something else, too: it's time to stop letting corporate power make the most important decisions our planet faces. We don't have the money to compete with those corporations, but we do have our bodies, and beginning in mid August many of us will use them. We will, each day, march on the White House, risking arrest with our trespass. We will do it in dignified fashion, demonstrating that in this case we are the conservatives, and that our foes — who would change the composition of the atmosphere are dangerous radicals. Come dressed as if for a business meeting — this is, in fact, serious business. And another sartorial tip — if you wore an Obama button during the 2008 campaign, why not wear it again? We very much still want to believe in the promise of that young Senator who told us that with his election the 'rise of the oceans would begin to slow and the planet start to heal.' We don't understand what combination of bureaucratic obstinacy and insider dealing has derailed those efforts, but we remember his request that his supporters continue on after the election to pressure his government for change. We'll do what we can. And one more thing: we don't just want college kids to be the participants in this fight. They've led the way so far on climate change — 10,000 came to DC for the Powershift gathering earlier this spring. They've marched this month in West Virginia to protest mountaintop removal; a young man named Tim DeChristopher faces sentencing this summer in Utah for his creative protest. Now it's time for people who've spent their lives pouring carbon into the atmosphere to step up too, just as many of us did in earlier battles for civil rights or for peace. Most of us signing this letter are veterans of this work, and we think it's past time for elders to behave like elders. One thing we don't want is a smash up: if you can't control your passions, this action is not for you. This won't be a one-shot day of action. We plan for it to continue for several weeks, till the administration understands we won't go away. Not all of us can actually get arrested — half the signatories to this letter live in Canada, and might well find our entry into the U.S. barred. But we will be making plans for sympathy demonstrations outside Canadian consulates in the U.S., and U.S. consulates in Canada — the decision-makers need to know they're being watched. Twenty years of patiently explaining the climate crisis to our leaders hasn't worked. Maybe moral witness will help. You have to start somewhere, and we choose here and now. If you think you might want to be a part of this action, we need you to sign up here. As plans solidify in the next few weeks we'll be in touch with you to arrange nonviolence training; our colleagues at a variety of environmental and democracy campaigns will be coordinating the actual arrangements. We know we're asking a lot. You should think long and hard on it, and pray if you're the praying type. But to us, it's as much privilege as burden to get to join this fight in the most serious possible way. We hope you'll join us. Maude Barlow — Chair, Council of Canadians Wendell Berry — Author and Farmer Tom Goldtooth — Director, Indigenous Environmental Network Danny Glover — Actor James Hansen — Climate Scientist Wes Jackson — Agronomist, President of the Land Insitute Naomi Klein — Author and Journalist Bill McKibben — Writer and Environmentalist George Poitras — Mikisew Cree Indigenous First Nation Gus Speth — Environmental Lawyer and Activist David Suzuki — Scientist, Environmentalist and Broadcaster Joseph B. Uehlein — Labor organizer and environmentalist

AWKWARD MOMENT

 
It's the awkward moment …..

…… when your friend's "fat arm" makes you look naked .

Markets tumble on economic turmoil; fears of another recession from WASHPOST & Stocks Take Nose Dive On Global Economic Fears from NPR4AUG11

I am sick of this. The wealthy, sitting in their ivory towers, are playing financial games with the lives of common people, dangerous games, that just might destroy everything good the average person has worked for all their lives. The rich and powerful will not suffer. They may loose some of their overall "worth", but they are not going to loose their jobs, homes, cars, or have to forgo medical care, or have their utilities disconnected, or go without meals. Congress and the President had the chance to address the growing economic inequality in this country by including additional revenue in the latest budget "deal" that raised the federal debt ceiling, but lacked the moral courage to do so. If today's events are the start of another recession (like we were ever out of the last one) I fear we may slide into class warfare that may turn violent against the wealthy and the government.

By Sarah Halzack

Fears of worsening economic turmoil in the United States and Europe triggered a broad-based retreat on global markets Thursday, with stocks tumbling more than 2.5 percent in New York.
“The undertone of this is just fear that we’re rolling off again into another recession,” said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist of Wells Capital Management.
The losses come after nearly two weeks of declines as evidence mounts that Europe’s debt crisis is intensifying and the U.S. economy shows no signs of rebounding soon. Major stock indexes are in the red for the year. In nine sessions, the S&P 500, the broadest measure of stocks, has lost nearly 10 percent of its value.
By Thursday afternoon, the Dow Jones industrial average had fallen more than 400 points, about 3.5 percent, and was hovering around 11,486. The S&P dropped more than 3.7 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite fell about 3.8 percent.
Global markets also saw declines, with major sell-offs in Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Concerns heightened in Europe that E.U. leaders might have to provide financial aid to large economies such as Italy and Spain — a far greater challenge than the help it recently provided to Greece. Leaders of the European Central Bank today decided to keep interest rates unchanged at 1.5 percent.
In the United States, a steady stream of bad economic news has been depressing stocks. Economic growth is nearly at a standstill, consumers are saving rather than opening their wallets, and manufacturing, after picking up, has stalled again.
Investors largely shrugged off a Labor Department report Thursday morning that showed a slight decline in weekly jobless claims. Applications for unemployment benefits dropped to 400,000 from 401,000 the week before.
This report precedes a highly anticipated monthly jobs report Friday, which analysts expect will show that the unemployment rate held steady at 9.2 percent.
Today’s losses follow a volatile day of trading Wednesday in which the Dow closed up 60 points after falling nearly 200 points earlier in the day.
Oil prices Thursday sank nearly 5 percent, while gold prices fell slightly to $1,660.40 after setting a record the day before.

Stocks Take Nose Dive On Global Economic Fears

by The Associated Press

Enlarge Jin Lee/AP Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday in New York. Stocks are plunging in another broad sell-off as investors grow concerned about an economic slowdown in the U.S. and Europe.

The stock market is finishing its worst day since the financial crisis.
The Dow Jones industrial average plunged more than 500 points Thursday. Investors are concerned that the U.S. economy will enter another recession and that Europe's debt problems are not closed to being solved.
Major stock indexes fell more than 4 percent.
The Dow is closing with a loss of 513 points, or 4.3 percent, to 11,384. It was the worst day for the Dow since October 22, 2008.
The S&P 500 is down 60, or 4.8 percent, to 1,200. The Nasdaq is down 137, or 5.1 percent, to 2,556.
Twenty stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume was very heavy at 7.5 billion shares.
Investors are increasingly worried about economic weakness in the U.S. and a debt crisis in Europe.
"We are continuing to be bombarded by worries about the global economy," said Bill Stone, chief investment strategist at PNC Financial.
Oil fell 6 percent to $87 a barrel on worries demand will fall because of the slowing economy. Oil had traded over $100 as recently as June 9. The yield on the two-year Treasury note hit a record low as investors sought out relatively stable investments.
The Vix, a measure of investor fear, shot up nearly 25 percent. It is up 77 percent for the quarter, which began July 1.
Stock trading has been volatile this week because of concerns that the U.S. economy is weakening. Manufacturing, consumer spending and hiring by private companies are below levels that are consistent with a healthy economy. Those reports have called into question estimates from economists, including Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, that the economy will grow more quickly in the second half of the year.
More than 10 stocks fell for every one that rose on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday. Money poured into investments that are seen as relatively safe when markets are turbulent. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.51 percent, its lowest level of the year. The yield on the 2-year Treasury note hit a record low of 0.265 percent. Bond yields fall when demand for them increases.
Mark Luschini, chief investment strategist for Janney Montgomery Scott, an investment firm in Philadelphia, said some clients are moving to cash "as a parking lot to sort things out."
"With the scars of 2008 still fresh, some clients don't want to miss the chance to pre-empt further damage should it come," Luschini said.
Large investors have moved so much money into cash accounts at Bank of New York that on Thursday the bank said it would begin charging some clients a 0.13 percent fee to hold their cash.
"In the past month, we have seen a growing level of deposits on our balance sheet from clients seeking a safe-haven in light of the global interest rate and credit environment," the bank said in a statement to The Associated Press. Bank of New York clients include pension funds and large investment houses.
"Investors are deciding that now is the time to take risk off the table," said Brian Gendreau, market strategist for Cetera Financial Group. Gendreau said that some investors are now wondering whether stocks will have a prolonged slump similar to the aftermath of the Great Depression.
Technical trading, a term used to signify buying or selling based on the S&P 500's prior highs and lows, also helped push stocks downward. The S&P 500 fell below 1,222, a so-called support level, early in the day. That signified to some traders that the stock market would continue to slide.
"Traders are respecting the technical levels even if they're not technicians," said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial. "Even if you're what we call a conviction buyer, you have to respect those levels."
European stocks fell broadly because of concerns that Italy or Spain may need help from the European Union. The benchmark stock indexes in Italy, Germany and England each fell 3 percent.
Companies that outperform when the global economy expands fell the most. Caterpillar Inc. fell nearly 6 percent, and Chevron Corp. fell 5 percent.
Some traders are selling ahead of Friday's employment report, which is expected to show that unemployment remained at 9.2 percent last month. A rise in the unemployment number would likely push stocks lower again.
The U.S. government said before the market opened that the number of people who applied for unemployment benefits for the first time was only slightly lower last week to 400,000. That's still above the 375,000 level that economist say indicates a healthy job market. It was the latest indication of weakness in the U.S. economy.
All 10 industry groups in the S&P index fell. Energy, materials and industrial companies each lost 5 percent or more.
The sell-off comes at a time when corporate profits are growing. The forward price to earnings ratio of the S&P 500 has fallen to about 12, well below its long-term average of 16. That means that investors who buy now are paying less for each dollar in profits.
Based on what an investor now pays for corporate profits, stocks are now trading at their lowest levels in 20 years, said Tim Courtney, chief investment officer of Burns Advisory Group in Oklahoma City.
Few companies were spared in the sell-off. Just 9 of the 500 stocks in the S&P 500 moved higher. General Motors Co. fell 4 percent despite beating analyst estimates.
The stock market had its biggest fall since the start of the current bull market in March, 2009. The Dow tumbled its largest amount since the height of the financial crisis in 2008. The drop in the S&P was the largest since a 45-point fall on Jan. 20, 2009.

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Ramadan: For Muslims a Month of Fasting and Giving from CHARITY NAVIGATOR AUG 2011

AN update from Charity Navigator on worthy, reliable charities for Muslims to consider during Ramadan, click the header to go to the site for more information.

Ramadan Related Charities	Overall Rating
Direct Relief International
Relief International
Action Against Hunger | ACF-USA
Islamic Relief USA
Stop Hunger Now
The Hunger Project
Friends of the World Food Program (World Food Program USA)
Oxfam America

The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is Ramadan. This is a holy time when over one billion Muslims around the world fast and focus their attention on giving to charity, know as Zakat. According to the lunar calendar followed by Muslims, Ramadan in 2011 starts on or around August 1 and will finish on or around August 29.
During Ramadan, both fasting and acts of charity are obligatory upon Muslims who are able to do so. Fasting from sunrise to sunset is representative of a spiritual cleansing, an effort to become closer to God, and an attempt to gain a better understanding of human suffering. The act of fasting calls for Muslims to practice self-discipline and sacrifice, as well as reflect upon and show compassion for the poor and less fortunate. Muslims are reminded to be generous and increase their charitable activities. As a result, during Ramadan, much charitable giving is done by the community. Donations are usually focused on giving to those stricken by poverty and hunger. In celebration of Ramadan, consider donating to one of these highly rated charities which either work predominantly in countries with large Muslim populations or strive towards the alleviation of hunger.
At the end of Ramadan, Muslims observe a celebration called Eid al-Fitr (the Festival of Fast-Breaking). During Eid al-Fitr, Muslims enjoy time with their families and often exchange gifts. Instead of the usual gift exchange, Muslims may want to further their Ramadan inspired philanthropic activities by giving a Good Card, a gift card for charity where the recipients get to donate to their charity of choice.

It's time to make Iceland pay a price for killing whales from NRDC 4AUG11

IT is disgusting that a nation, a people as "civilized" as Iceland still is whaling. Please join in this action from the NRDC calling on Pres Obama to impose strong trade sanctions on Iceland until they stop whaling. And please boycott all things Icelandic, including travel on Iceland Air and travel to Iceland until they stop whaling. Click the link to take action...

		An important message from Pierce Brosnan “Please join me in urging President Obama to impose tough trade sanctions on Iceland for its illegal slaughter of whales.” The time has come for Iceland to pay a steep price for its inhumane and illegal slaughter of whales. But that may only happen if hundreds of thousands of us speak out now with one powerful voice that cannot be ignored. Let me explain. The U.S. Commerce Secretary has just formally declared that Iceland is defying the international ban on commercial whaling. That declaration starts the clock ticking on a 60-day period during which President Obama must decide whether or not to impose trade sanctions on Iceland. Please join me in urging the President to impose tough sanctions and make Iceland pay a real, measurable price for its mass killing of whales. Iceland has proven that it will thumb its nose at anything less -- and will go right on slaughtering whales for profit. In 2004, the United States denounced Iceland in the same manner -- but failed to impose sanctions -- and Iceland proceeded to ramp up its awful slaughter. Since 2006, Iceland has killed 280 endangered fin whales and more than 200 minke whales. In the last two years alone, it has exported millions of dollars worth of whale meat, blubber and oil to Japan, Norway, Latvia and Belarus. Iceland is not only flouting the ban on whaling, it is depleting whale populations at an alarming rate. It’s practically begging to be sanctioned. Please ask President Obama to make Iceland pay a price at long last -- for the sake of whale survival. For starters, he could target imports by those Icelandic seafood companies directly tied to the whaling industry. But do not assume for a second that such presidential action is a sure thing. In fact, the U.S. has never before imposed sanctions on another nation for whaling. That’s why it’s so important that President Obama feel a groundswell of public support if he is to take this next historic step. Please make your own voice heard inside the White House. You can be sure that Iceland will not end the abhorrent practice of whaling until it is forced to do so. Let’s fight 'em. Again and again. Sincerely, Pierce Brosnan Natural Resources Defense Council

How Drinking More Wine May Prevent Sunburn 1AUG11

I'VE always said my wine consumption has been for medicinal purposes!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

An article in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry asserts that drinking wine may actually help prevent sunburns. According to the study, the flavonoids present in grapes can stop the chemical reaction that causes cells to die, which is what causes skin damage. The study was conducted in vitro in a laboratory by the University of Barcelona and the Spanish National Research Council.
Grapes, therefore, can help protect from sunburn and even skin cancer, says the director of the research project. Cabernet Sauvignon skin cream, anyone?
Note: This study doesn't change the fact that drinking wine can make your face red, or that if you drink wine in the sun you might fall asleep, and thus get sunburned anyway.

Obama Signs Bill To Raise Debt Ceiling 2AUG11

IT is a sad commentary on the state of politics in this country when the Congress can't agree on raising the federal debt ceiling without putting the majority of the nation at risk of economic collapse. The U.S. Constitution provides a simple and clean method to raising the debt ceiling in the 14th Amendment. It is also sad our President lacked the moral courage to stand up to Congress and invoke the 14th Amendment for the good of the nation. What a sad state we are in....

by NPR Staff and Wires

Carolyn Kaster/AP President Obama walks to the Rose Garden of the White House to discuss the debt-ceiling bill passed by the Senate.

text size A A A

August 2, 2011

The Senate approved emergency debt-ceiling legislation Tuesday, averting a U.S. default and ending a self-inflicted political crisis that has shaken confidence in the nation's credit and its political leaders.
The bipartisan bill passed on a 74-26 vote just hours before a midnight deadline to get a deal done. President Obama then signed it into law.
"It's an important first step to ensuring that as a nation we live within our means," Obama said at a Rose Garden news conference following the vote. "This is, however, just the first step. This compromise requires that both parties work together on a larger plan to cut the deficit."
Lawmakers, he said, still need to find a balanced approach to reducing the deficit that includes some adjustments to health care benefit plans for the elderly and reforming the tax code so the wealthy pay more.
The president praised lawmakers for finally passing the compromise bill, but he demanded that they take immediate steps to boost job creation when they return from their summer break. He also said he was not giving up on his insistence that Congress allow taxes to be raised on big corporations, through an end to loopholes, and the richest Americans.

Details Of The Deal

• Allows the nation's $14.3 trillion borrowing cap to rise by up to $2.4 trillion — enough to keep the government afloat through the 2012 elections.
• Includes $900 billion in savings from 10-year discretionary spending caps on defense and non-defense programs.
• Calls for a bipartisan committee of six Republicans and six Democrats to identify $1.5 trillion in additional cuts no later than Nov. 23. The cuts could come from defense spending or entitlement programs such as Social Security. Congress must act on the recommendations by Dec. 23 to avoid triggering $1.2 trillion in automatic, across-the-board reductions over 10 years.
• If Congress fails to act, the automatic cuts would spare Social Security, Medicaid, veterans and civilian and military pay. But Medicare would not be exempt, according to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).

"We can't balance the budget on the backs of the people who've borne the brunt of this recession," Obama said.
A 'Lowest Common Denominator' Plan
Although both the Senate and House easily adopted the bill that congressional leaders and the White House cobbled together over the weekend, there is little love for it. Republicans feel it does too little to change Washington's spending habits, while Democrats deplore its reliance on spending cuts alone to reduce the deficit while leaving tax policy unchanged.
"Neither side got all it wanted, each side laments what it didn't get," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said.
But Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who was a key architect of the deal, said it shows Congress can still act when it needs to.
"It's a testament to the goodwill of those on both sides that we were able to reach this agreement in time," McConnell said. "Neither side wanted to see the government default, and I'm pleased we were able to work together to avoid it."
Much of the measure, which the House passed 269-161 Monday night, was negotiated on terms set by House Speaker John Boehner, including a demand that any increase in the nation's borrowing cap be matched by spending cuts. But the legislation also meets demands made by Obama, including debt-limit increases large enough to keep the government funded into 2013 and curbs on growth of the Pentagon budget.

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While Washington may be feeling a sense of relief that the worst has been avoided, NPR's Ari Shapiro said there's "a real disappointment that this is really a lowest common denominator plan. Everything in it was on the table months ago."
Many lawmakers who supported the legislation lamented what they saw as flaws and the intense partisanship from which it was forged.
"What troubles me about it is that the bipartisan compromise also represents a kind of bipartisan agreement by each party to yield to the other party's most politically and ideologically sensitive priority," said Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT). "In the case of Democrats, it's to protect entitlement spending. ... In the case of Republicans, it's to not raise taxes."
Cuts To Entitlement Programs Inevitable?
The measure provides an immediate $400 billion increase in the $14.3 trillion U.S. borrowing cap, with $500 billion more assured this fall. That $900 billion will be matched by cuts to agency budgets over the next 10 years.
What follows next is more complicated. The measure establishes a special bipartisan committee to draft legislation to find up to $1.5 trillion more in deficit cuts for a vote later this year. If this supercommittee cannot reach a consensus or Congress fails to act on the recommendations by Dec. 23, there will be automatic cuts across much of the budget, including Pentagon coffers.
"There are only so many ways to find $1.5 trillion to save, and a lot of people think that's going to have to involve changes to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and to the tax code," Shapiro said. "But of course there are going to be obstacles. This committee is likely to include Republicans who have pledged never to raise taxes. It will likely include some Democrats who say they will not touch entitlement programs."
The Senate vote was never in doubt after Reid and McConnell signed on. But like the House vote, defections came from liberal Democrats unhappy that Obama gave too much ground in the talks, as well as from conservative Republicans who said the measure would barely dent deficits that require the government to borrow more than 40 cents of every dollar it spends.
"This is a time for us to make tough choices as compared to kick the can down the road one more time," said freshman GOP Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas.
Vice President Joe Biden said the deal "has one overwhelming redeeming feature": postponing the next debt limit battle until 2013 and leaving the current fight behind.
"We have to get this out of the way to get to the issue of growing the economy," he said.
Fallout From The Gridlock
Polls showed that Congress and Obama have taken a sharp hit in U.S. public opinion because of the prolonged battle over lifting the debt ceiling, something that past Congresses have done as a matter of course.
The issues in this latest standoff will inform debates leading up to and beyond the 2012 presidential election, Shapiro said.
"For example, right around the corner, there's another standoff over next year's budget, which could result in the same threat of a government shutdown that we saw at the beginning of this year. And that debate is going to be over the same taxes, spending cuts, role of government ... all of the issues that we've heard hashed out over the last few months."
Even though Congress narrowly avoided default, it hasn't eased concerns around the globe. Stock indexes in Europe and Asia fell Tuesday amid worries about the U.S. economy. Wall Street had fared no better in afternoon trading.
Questions also linger about the effect the grueling political free-for-all will have on the U.S. credit rating.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told ABC News in an interview Tuesday that he didn't know whether the debt-limit fight would harm America's AAA credit rating. He said he fears world confidence in the U.S. was damaged by "this spectacle."
Geithner told ABC that credit rating is "not my judgment to make." But he also said "this is, in some ways, a judgment on the capacity of Congress to act."
With reporting from NPR's Ari Shapiro, David Welna and Brian Naylor in Washington, D.C. Material from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Gabrielle Giffords Returns To Congress To Vote On Debt Ceiling Deal (PHOTOS, VIDEO) 1AUG11

THANK GOD for Gabrielle Gifford's recovery and return to Congress. God Bless you Rep Gifford!!!!
WASHINGTON -- Seven months after she was shot in the head by a gunman in Tucson, Ariz., Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) made a surprise and emotional return to the House floor on Monday, casting a vote in favor of a bill to raise the nation's debt ceiling.
Giffords entered the chamber to sustained, standing applause, shaking hands with colleagues whom she had not seen since that January day. Her vote, a sideshow to the far more important and compelling personal drama, was in favor of the bill, which passed through the chamber by a margin of 269 to 161.
“I have closely followed the debate over our debt ceiling and have been deeply disappointed at what’s going on in Washington,” Giffords said, in a statement from her office. “After weeks of failed debate in Washington, I was pleased to see a solution to this crisis emerge. I strongly believe that crossing the aisle for the good of the American people is more important than party politics. I had to be here for this vote. I could not take the chance that my absence could crash our economy.”
Giffords' office tweeted word of her return to Washington after the vote had begun. And as she showed up on the floor -- smiling and with her hair cut short -- the attention of lawmakers drifted from the vote tally to her presence. Her office, in a statement, noted that in December 2009 and again in February 2010, she had objected to raising the nation's debt limit. This vote, the statement added, "was substantially different, with the strength of the U.S. economy hanging in the balance."
After the vote was cast, Giffords received multiple additional rounds of applause, as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called her "the personification of courage."
"Her presence here in the chamber as well as her service throughout her career in Congress, brings honor to this chamber," Pelosi said. "Thank you, Gabby."
Pelosi said she knew a Giffords visit "was possible" for a couple of days, but she urged the Arizona Democrat not to come unless she felt up for it.
"I did not encourage her to," Pelosi told reporters. "I told her first things first. But she was very eager to come."
Pelosi said she found out for sure that Giffords was returning from her chief of staff, John Lawrence, who is close with Giffords' husband Mark Kelly. When she saw Giffords come in, she said no words were exchanged as they greeted each other. Just "girl hugs," Pelosi said.
"Suffice it to say, it was one of the most thrilling moments to see this heroine return home, to the House. And to do so at such a dramatic time."
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), one of Giffords' closest personal friends and one of the people who escorted Giffords into the chamber, said she was beside herself when she heard the House erupt into cheers as Giffords walked in for the first time since the January 8 shooting.
"The reaction in the chamber was the most enthusiastic, exuberant, exhilarating -- I mean we were all crying -- thrilled -- you know, we just knew she would make a triumphant return," Wasserman Schultz said, becoming visibly upset.
"It always felt like there were so many doubters and skeptics, but never doubt Gabby Giffords' determination. This is the first of many votes she's going to pass."
Wasserman Schultz, who is also the Democratic National Committee chairwoman, said she knew "sometime yesterday" that Giffords' visit was happening. She said she spoke late last night to Giffords' husband, Mark Kelly, about the plan. Giffords had been following the debt limit vote from Tucson and "was ready to come and do the pivotal vote if she needed to," Wasserman Schultz said.
"At the end of the day, it was probably the most important vote we're going to cast this Congress. She wanted to make sure that her constituents were represented."
Vice President Joe Biden came to the Capitol to see Giffords, after being tipped off by Pelosi that she would be in attendance.
"I told her she was now a member of the cracked-head club like me, with two craniotomies," Biden told reporters. "You know what I mean? It was just so good to see her. But that's a private conversation."
Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) found out about her return about an hour before the vote and helped to escort her into the chamber.
Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said he found out that Giffords would show for the vote when he saw her, hinting that Pelosi and others in the know played it close to the vest.
"I just said, 'I love you, glad to have you back, great to see you,'" he said. "I only found out when I saw her. [It was] a little emotional."
Below, a picture of the congresswoman on Capitol Hill from HuffPost's Jen Bendery:

Below, two additional photos via C-Span:

Video of Giffords' return:

This is a developing story. More details to follow.

Labor's Discontent With Obama Surfaces Yet Again 1AUG11

MUST be Pres Obama doesn't want to be elected to a second term and the Democrats don't want to hold on to control of the Senate. From HuffPost.......
WASHINGTON -- The debt ceiling bill set to be voted upon Monday evening has left labor advocates in yet another precarious -- and deeply frustrated -- position. A president who began his term with the promise to not only stem the tide of job loss but also reconfigure the wealth disparity in the country has been bitten by the austerity bug. Moreover, there seem to be fewer and fewer legislative or political outlets for unions to explore.
In the immediate aftermath of the announcement Sunday evening that a deal had been struck, the nation's major labor unions bit their tongues, choosing to either carefully craft press statements or remain silent altogether. In private, however, the discontent was palpable. And it wasn't just driven by fear that massive spending cuts –- $26 billion in 2012 and $2.4 trillion over ten years –- would adversely affect workers or the unemployed. It was a touch more personal than that.
"We have now had at least three or more experiences of the president explaining to people that he has a plan and it is under control but the results don't match," said Andy Stern, former president of the Service Employees International Union. "He has an unreasonable Congress that doesn't respond to reason. So why continue to reason with them?"
"The sad part so far, which wont be as obscure later, is that everyone talks about spending in the abstract but behind every billion here is kids with disabilities or cities and states that have programs that people rely on," Stern added. "So when the appropriators get to work, I think people will appreciate that all the glee with which we made progress on spending will come up against the question of: at what cost?"
Despite no longer serving as president of his union, Stern's frustrations with the administration are still noteworthy. Among labor leaders, he still enjoys one of the tightest, if not the tightest, relationships with the president and his administration.
That his former counterparts declined, at least initially, to speak up in a similar fashion was a curious development, pointed out by more than one Democratic source. But it gets at the recurring frostiness of the relationship between labor unions and President Obama. Labor advocates, while consulted, didn't have a seat at the table during the debt ceiling debate, sometimes learning information only through press reports or secondhand accounts. But when the deal was struck -- decidedly against their favor -- they were asked to stay silent and look on the bright side.
According to several sources, Jon Carson, director of public engagement for the White House, made several calls to progressive organizations and labor groups before the deal was announced on Sunday evening. His pitch was simple: The debt ceiling forced the White House to confront a brutal situation, made more difficult by some factions of the Republican Party's willingness to witness a default. The president, Carson added, would now be able to "pivot" to job creation, including the creation of an infrastructure bank. By Monday morning, Carson's pitch was refined a bit further. Obama had protected Medicaid and Social Security from the first round of cuts. And while extending unemployment insurance wasn't in the final deal, as one White House official told The Huffington Post, "we will absolutely keep pushing for that."

"The slogan of this administration is 'it could have been worse.' Seriously, that is what they stand for," said one incredulous labor official. "They say that they protected those programs."
"I think it was unclear last week what the president and members were going to do," the official added. "Now we know. They did provide some protection to social insurance programs. They didn't cut them, at least not yet. But it is hard for us to look happy at this wreckage that was created."
As the labor leader noted, in the end, the administration added a touch of sweetener to the much larger, sour dish that it served the unions.
Specifically, union officials said on Monday that they are deeply concerned about the potentially steep cuts to entitlement programs that could result from the creation of a deficit-reduction congressional committee with fairly substantial procedural powers. But except for Stern's comments, those concerns were confined to anonymous quotes or off-the-record observations. Only when the House was on the precipice of voting Monday evening did another major player choose to weigh in.
"The deal forced upon the White House and the nation represents a form of economic malpractice," said AFSCME president Gerald McEntee. "At the least, it will slow economic recovery and impose more joblessness, wage cuts and hardship on America’s working families. The tea party held the nation hostage in order to advance an extreme ideology – at the expense of what is good for the nation and our economy."